UK SUPERMARKET CHAIN Morrisons has apologised after labelling a chicken product as containing “non-EU salt and pepper”.
Shoppers complained on social media over the packaging for the salt-and-pepper chicken crown, which also features the Union flag and highlights that it is made from “British chicken”.
The company immediately backtracked over the “error”, describing it as a mistake during the labelling process.
Hi Carolyn Guse, The wording on the packaging is an error for which we apologise. We are changing the packaging immediately -Thanks Mark
— Morrisons (@Morrisons) November 1, 2021
Morrisons tweeted that “the wording on the packaging is an error for which we apologise”, and told customers it was changing the packaging immediately.
A spokeswoman for the supermarket chain said: “Our chicken label is adhering to British packaging regulations, however, we will be redesigning it to make it clear this is not a political commentary.”
It came after a raft of tweets from customers who accused the company of “anti-EU bias” and threatened to stop shopping at Morrisons.
One Twitter user, David Bright, said: “I’m done with shopping @Morrisons … I can live with Union flags on bananas, but the gratuitous slight on the EU is too much.”
Another, Robin Wilton, tweeted to describe the packaging as “small-minded” and “populist-pandering bigotry that’s just cost you a customer”.
According to UK government guidance, meat packaging where full country information is not available must use the term “non-EU” to describe its origin.
From October next year, this will be replaced by “non-UK” after post-Brexit rule changes.
The furore comes a week after Morrisons moved into private hands, following its £7 billion takeover by US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R).
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